Comparison of 2014 to 2017

Comparison of 2014 and 2017 Supporting Statement for OMB 0596-0217

1. Throughout document makes minor editorial changes.

1. Changes the word “phone” to “telephone”.

2. Revises several statutory authorities to bring current.

2. A-1: Adds reference for 2 CFR 200

3. A-2: removes paragraph “New information collections include the following forms: 1) Financial Capability Questionnaire form; 2) Financial Capability Checklist forms; 3) Equipment Justification and Certification Statement form; 4) Mandatory Post-Award monitoring of recipients financial controls using Financial Capability Checklist for all Grants and Cooperative Agreements; 5) Certification Regarding Lobbying form; and 8) variations of approved OMB agreement templates and common forms to reduce burden on our partners.”

4. A-2; a. – bullet 2: Adds “registration verification” at the end of (SAM)

5. A-2; a. – bullet 4: Spells out EFT – to read as “Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT)”

6. A-2; c. – Removes Federal Financial Assistance (FFA) awards and adds “all instruments with outgoing funding.”

7. Adds the word “monthly” at: REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION FORMS Performance Reports: Cooperators may use their own format of their choosing or may use the Cooperator Performance Report (Optional Template), FS-1500-23. For grants and cooperative agreements, grantees may be required to submit a project performance report on a monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual basis. The report will compare actual accomplishments to objectives, provide explanations if objectives are not obtained, and outline ways to correct problem situations. It may also outline objectives and timetables for the next reporting period.

8. Revises paragraph to read as:

Modification Form and Supporting Documents

FS-1500-19: Modification Form

Description: Instrument used when the Forest Service and Cooperator mutually agree to modify terms and conditions of an existing agreement between the two parties. For grants and cooperative agreements, the grantee must obtain prior Forest Service approval for any change to the costs, contractor, or vendor of the approved project. Failure to obtain prior approval of any such change could result in disallowance of costs, suspension, termination, and recovery of grant funds. Requests for changes must be submitted in writing to the Agency.

9. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM REVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE AND CHECKLIST:

Removes paragraph: Note: Forest Service developed these forms to reach management decision on several OIG Recommendations from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Forest Service Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Projects on Non-Federal Lands audit (Report No. 08703-0005-SF, Issued March 2013).

10. GRANT EQUIPMENT JUSTIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

Removes paragraph: “Note: The Forest Service developed this form in response to OIG audit recommendations. OIG Recommendation can be found in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Forest Service Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Projects on Non-Federal Lands audit (Report No. 08703-0005-SF, Issued March 2013).”

11. NON-FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: OTHER AGREEMENT TEMPLATES

FIRE AGREEMENTS

Revises paragraph to read as: “Statutory Authority: 1) Reciprocal Fire Protection Act of May 27, 1955 (42 U.S.C. 1856a; 2) Granger-Thye Act of April 24, 1950 (16 USC 572); or 3) Cooperative Funds and Deposits Act of December 12, 1975, Pub.L. 94-148, 16 U.S.C. 565a1 – a3, as amended.” by removing: “May 27, 1955 (42 U.S.C. 1856a; 2) Granger-Thye Act of April 24, 1950 (16 USC 572); or 3) Cooperative Funds and Deposits Act of December 12, 1975, Pub.L. 94-148, 16 U.S.C. 565a1 – a3, as amended.”

12. COLLECTION AGREEMENTS

Removes reference to ”FS-1500-11C: Collection Agreement- FERC. Description: Instrument used to accept money, equipment, property, or products to carry out a purpose authorized by law stemming from Hydropower Projects with Licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

13. Add “Good Neighbor Agreements” section.

14. Removes:

FORMS REMOVED FROM INFORMATION COLLECTION

SF-PPR family of forms

Reason for Removal: Forms no longer approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction act. Will utilize the proposed Optional Performance Report Form to collect elements required under the regulations or allow for the cooperator to utilize their own form or template.

FS-1500-20: Grants and Agreement Cover Sheet

Reason for Removal: This is an internal document and is not completed by the public. Burden associated with the document is already assessed in agreement form burden estimates.

15. Extensive revisions to Question 8.

16. Updates the estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated in Question 12.

17. Updates Statutory Authorities in Appendix A.